Grip for cableways.



s'. s. WEBBER. GRIP FOR GABLBWAYS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1911 Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

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AITMNEFE Y cnunuun PLANOGIAPH S. S. WEBBBR. GRIP FOR UABLHWAYS. APPLICATION FILED BEPT.29, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL S. WEBIBER, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRENTON IRON COMPANY, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GRIP FOR CABLEW'AYS.

Application filed September 29, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. VVEBBER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Trenton, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grips for Cableways, described and set forth in the foregoing specification.

In cableways for hoisting, carrying and dumping materials there is usually a track, which may be a cable or a rail, upon which runs a trolley carrying a bucket or other load supporting device. A traction cable travels along adjacent to thetrack and at certain points is gripped to a part of the trolley or bucket so as to carry the latter along and at other points is released so as to permit the dumping or lowering of the bucket. The gripping and releasing are usually automatic and effected by inclined planes mounted in a stationary position.

The present invention provides a grip for use in such cableways and adapted also for various other uses.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a rear face elevation of a grip mounted in a frame upon which the bucket is carried. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the grip alone approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan, the top of the casing being broken away.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated the casing of the grip has a ring A rotatably mounted in a divided bearing B, C carried by the frame I) which supports the bucket. The cable E runs along the face of the grip and is adapted to be caught between a pair of jaws F and G, the former being stationary except for the slight yielding movement hereinafter referred to, and the jaw G being movable toward and from the jaw F to grip and release the cable.

The aw G is moved by means of a lever H projecting from the back of the grip and having an antifriction roller which rises upon a fixed incline J and is forced upward thereby when the grip is to be released. The lever H constitutes an arm on a hollow shaft K which rocks on a pivot L and which has a second arm M pivotally -connected to a link N which in turn is connected to an arm 0 of a hollow shaft P of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 652,025.

which the jaw G constitutes a second arm. The pivot Q of the hollow shaft P is fixedly mounted in the projections R from the front of the casing. The pivot L is adjustably mounted in similar projections S from the rear and is made slightly adjustable by means of screws T to vary the throw of the jaw G; this being a well known construction and requiring no illustration in detail. The parts M and N act as a toggle. When the lever H is thrown up to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 the toggle is broken and the arm 0 pulled inward and the jaw G thrown outward to release the cable. A rod U is connected to the arm 0 and pulled inward by a spring to assist in opening the jaw, this spring serving to throw the lever H to its extreme upper position as soon as the toggle has been broken by a short upward movement of the lever. hen the lever is pressed down the toggle is forced to its straight line position closing the jaw. and the toggle then moves slightly beyond this position until it strikes a fixed stop V, thus locking the grip. The described mechanism for operating the jaw G is well known in the art and various other known or suitable constructions may be substituted therefor.

The jaw F is mounted on a pivot W fixed in the projections R in the front of the easing, the two jaws thus overlapping each other, and the outer part of one gripping face (that is the part remote from its pivot) is located opposite the inner part of the other gripping face. This arrangement tends to maintain the circular character of the opening between the jaws for the several diameters of rope which they engage. In other words (within the limits of the slight adjustments occurring in practice) there is a parallel movement of the two jaws. Where the grips have been mounted so their outer parts move together faster than their inner parts as the opening is reduced in size, there is a rapid deformation of the normal circular shape of the opening and a consequent pinching of the cable between the outer parts of the grip ping faces which tends to injure the cable.

A cable is apt to vary in size at different points. This is especially true where a cable has been used for some time and the diifer ence is especially marked where part of a cable is old and another part new. If the jaws are adjusted for the larger diameter then the smaller diameter slips through the grip. If the jaws are adjusted for the smaller diameter then it may be diflicult to close the jaws to the locking position when they engage the cable at a point of larger diameter; or if the jaws lock thereon they do not readily release the cable. Serious accidents have sometimes happened from such causes. A slight variation in the diameter of the cable may be taken up by backing one of the jaws with a spring. Even this, however. will not always prevent accidents because the spring must be made stitl so as to exert the required pressure, and the increase in diameter of the cable is sometimes so great as to materially distort the spring. The reaction of the spring. of course, increases with the amount of its distortion and is sometimes so great as to prevent a prompt release. I propose, therefore, to provide such a spring and to provide in addition means for decreasing the etliciency with which the spring reacts against the jaw when the force of the spring is increased by the backward movement of the jaw. Thus the increase in the strength of the spring will be entirely or partly compensated by the decreased efficiency with which its force is imparted to the jaw, so that for all diameters of cable the spring pressed jaw will act with the same or approximately the same force. In the grip shown this spring is ap plied to the stationary jaw F. A pair of springs X is provided hearing at their lower ends against fixed abutments comprising parts of the frame and at their upper ends, through adjusting screws Y, against a yoke Z which has a central slot by which it guided upon a fixed pin a. The central part of the yoke is connected to a pair of links 7) which are connected to the intermediate pivot of the toggle c, I], one end of which has a rocking engagement with the jaw F and the other end of which is mounted on a stationary pivot 6 fixed in the casing. The jaw F is held from swinging too far outward when unengaged with a cable by a lug f which strikes the face of the casing. The upward movement of the yoke Z is limited by its striking the top of the casing, so that the intermediate pivot of the toggle c, d is always slightly below its ends. In the highest position of the yoke, which corresponds with the outermost position of the jaw, the toggle is in its most efficient position and transmits the force of the springs most efiicicntly. However, when. the jaw is pressed back the intermediate pivot of the toggle is pressed down and its efliciency is reduced at the same time that the distortion of the springs and the force of their reaction is increased. The reduction in efficiency of the toggle thus compensates for the increase in force of the springs so that the spring pressure transmitted to the jaw is kept constant or as nearly so as is necessary. The traction cable E sags and stands, therefore, at diff'erent angles at ditt erent points in its length.

The casing A carrying the entire grip is mounted to rotate in the bearing 13, C so as to permit it to take a proper angular position. At the front of the casing are provided rollers b which by their engagement with the cable cause the casing and grip to be turned to the correct position.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A grip for cableways including in combination a jaw for gripping the cable, a spring for pressing said jaw against the cable, a. fixed abutment against which said spring reacts, and means for transmitting the force of said spring to said jaw with decreased e'tliciency when the force of the spring is increased by the backward movement of said jaw.

52. A grip for cablcways including in c0mbination a jaw for gripping the cable, a spring for pressing said jaw against the cable, a fixed alnitn'ient against which said spring reacts. transmitting means between said spring and said jaw for transmitting the force of the spring to the j aw, said transmitting means being adapted to act with a decreased efticicncy when the force of the spring is increased by the backward movement of said. jaw.

3. A grip for cableways including in combination a jaw for gripping the cable, a spring for pressing said jaw against the cable, a. fixed abutment against. which said spring reacts, a toggle, one end of which engages said jaw. the opposite end of which is stationary and the intermediate pivot of which is connected to said spring, said spring tending to press said toggle toward its straight position to force said jaw forward, whereby as the jaw is moved backward the etliciency of the toggle in transmitting the spring pressure is decreased.

4. A grip for cableways including in combination a jaw for gripping the cable, a pair of springs for pressing said jaw against the cable, a. toggle, one end of which engages said jaw and the opposite end of which is stationary, a link connected to the intermediate pivot of said toggle and. a yoke connected to said link and engage by said springs to press said toggle toward its straight position.

5. A grip for cableways including in combination a jaw for gripping the cable, a spring for pressing said jaw against the cable and means for transmitting the force of said spring to said jaw with decreased efficiency when the force of the spring is increased by the backward movement of said jaw, and a second jaw movable toward and from the first named jaw to grip and release the cable.

6. A grip for cableways including in oommy name in the presence of two subscribing bination a pair of pivoted jaws adapted to Witnesses. grip the cable between them and overlapping each other with the outer part of one gripping face located. opposite the inner part of the other.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed SAMUEL S. WEBBER.

Witnesses:

KENNETH R. HALBTEAD, D. ANTHONY USINA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

